City of Richmond

This signature venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is a $178 million complex that includes a landmark multipurpose sports, recreation, and community facility on Richmond’s waterfront, along with the City Centre Waterfront Park and public plaza. In addition to catalyzing the transformation of the riverfront into a high-density, urban neighborhood, the Richmond Olympic Oval will also provide a venue for community events in the future, creating a legacy extending far beyond its immediate purpose.

In the Richmond Olympic Oval, waste heat produced in the creation of ice may be used to heat the building. The city of Richmond also may create an innovative thermal utility that will utilize the waste heat to provide low-cost heating and cooling for the entire new 32-acre urban waterfront neighborhood being created around the Oval. Optimization of the building envelope, particularly the 20-hectare roof, and development of a highly efficient mechanical system are among the other primary strategies contributing to the building’s projected energy performance of 42% below the Model National Energy Building Code.

Rainwater collected from the Oval’s massive roof is stored both inside the building, to supplement toilet flushing, and outside in a pond in front of the Oval for use in irrigating surrounding trees and landscaping. Marsh plants populating the pond provide natural water purification, improving the quality of water in the connected Hollybridge Canal. Sustainable materials include a 100-by-200-meter ceiling made of wood salvaged from British Columbia trees ravaged by pine beetles, as well as low-VOC paints, coatings, laminates, and sealants. With a design solution that optimizes energy use, environmental health, and aesthetic value, the Oval has achieved LEED® Silver certification.

Richmond Olympic Oval Media Kit

• Site filtration system diverts stormwater runoff, reduces suspended solids and phosphorus, and prevents sedimentation of local waterways
• Bicycle storage and shower facilities encourage alternative transportation
• Parking capacity meets but does not exceed zoning requirements
• More than half of parking is placed underground to reduce heat-island effect
• Roof system materials reduce heat-island effect
• Stormwater management system ensures that rate and quantity of stormwater do not exceed predevelopment quantities and rates
• Controlled interior and site lighting minimizes light pollution

• Visual displays of environmental strategies educate public about green design
• Pine-beetle-kill timber used in wood roof panels
• Building achieves exemplary performance of water-use reduction
• Comprehensive “green housekeeping” program reduces exposure of building occupants to chemical contaminants

• Carbon dioxide monitoring and no-smoking policy maintain indoor air quality
• Construction indoor air quality management plan implemented during construction and before occupancy
• Low-VOC-content paints, carpets, adhesives, sealants, composite wood, and laminate adhesives used throughout
• Rooms containing chemical contaminants have separate exhaust/plumbing systems and floor grates at entrances to reduce incoming contaminants

• 75% of construction waste was recycled or salvaged
• 75% of building materials contain recycled content
• 10% of building materials are manufactured regionally
• Durability of building components and predicted life cycle of building are above average for building type
• Recyclable materials are collected and stored on site

• Building systems commissioning verifies implementation and performance
• HCFC-free and halon-free refrigeration and fire-suppression equipment prevents ozone depletion
• Design of heating systems and building envelope reduces energy cost by 45%
• Measurement and verification plan optimizes building energy and water consumption
• 50% of building’s energy comes from renewable energy sources

• Hardy vegetation minimizes irrigation requirements
• No potable water is used for irrigation of landscaping
• Low-flow fixtures and graywater harvesting reduce water use by more than 30%

• 400m speed-skating track featuring two 4m lanes and one 5m lane
• Seating for 8,000 spectators
• Athlete testing center
• Rowing/paddling tank
• Cardiovascular rehabilitation center
• Fitness, wellness and sports medicine centers
• Concessions